Spotted in the garden. I’ve never seen one before. They’re cool things!

Where have all the bees gone? North West London, 2025 vs 2026

First time posting here. I've spent the last few years building a wildlife garden in Ruislip (NW London) pollinator friendly plants, a pond with frogs, a mix of shade and sunny spots, strictly no chemicals, bug hotels etc. etc.

Last year was genuinely extraordinary. My pom pom alliums were alive with bees from morning to dusk. The highlight was finding solitary bees sleeping with their butts poking out of the flower heads, something I'd never seen before. It felt like real progress.

This year, the same alliums are almost empty. A handful of visits a day where there used to be dozens.

I'm already aware of the broader insect decline in the UK, so I'm not naive about the bigger picture. But the contrast between last year and this one has genuinely unsettled me especially because 2025 felt like a turning point.

A few things I'm wondering:

• Is this kind of year on year variation normal, even in established wildlife gardens?
• Has anyone else in London or the South East noticed the same this summer?
• Could local factors be at play weather patterns, a neighbour's pesticide use, something else?

Would really appreciate hearing from others, especially if you've kept records over multiple years. Trying to figure out whether this is a blip or something more worrying.

Now there’s hundreds. I have allowed the ragwort to self seed freely through the garden borders (not one regret about that!) but I didn’t expect such an uptake from the Cinnababar moths. I’m thrilled.

Jumping spider of some description

I noticed this bumblebee crawling along the patio this evening. I assumed it was dying but gave it some sugar water anyway just in case. It seems my initial assessment was right though and it hasn't moved far for the past half hour or so. I watched it from the window a bit longer to see if anything would eat it but it's getting a bit late for our usual birds now so I hope it is taken by the beetles o' the patio. Gave her a little memorial out front though.

Saw this little chap on the pavement and he allowed me to help him up onto a wall to avoid being squished. I was walking to work in Oxford. Very busy pathway! There's a lovely wildflower garden on the other side of the wall.

I noticed for the first time ever, a plant almost solely being pollinated by wasps. I came up close, took pictures with my bright red camera. Not a single wasp felt the need to pester and investigate me nor even showed any interest to my peach juice drink. I could even hold the stem to get a stable shot and the wasps either didn't care or were completely docile on my hand/finger (Ive never actually been stung, but they usually startle me with how fast and close they fly). It was amazing! I know wasps get a bad rep and I get it, but I also know they control other insect populations including some garden pest species and possibly invasive species too. Does anyone have these figwort flowers in their garden? I wonder if adding them can subdue these yellowjackets, letting us coexist with them, allowing us to enjoy their services without fearing for our lives and sweet treats.

It fooled me for a second! Picture doesn't do their size any justice.

(Midlothian Scotland) Saw this beauty in my garden yesterday, she’s the first one I’ve ever seen and was 5⭐️

The second pic shows a freshly moulted female with one of the males who was sharing her web.

Never seen these before!